This present invention relates to ladder attachment devices, and more particularly to a new and improved device for providing a portable tether anchor and ladder roof anchor for use over the roof ridge of a building.
In the performance of their occupation, workers such as painters, carpenters, roofers, firepersons, chimney sweeps, inspectors, handypersons and others are required, at times, to perform their work on inclined roofs. Property owners also choose to work on their roofs at times. To work on moderate to highly pitched roofs, it is necessary for the person to position some type of support, such as a ladder, or scaffold, on the roof.
When the job is not too extensive, a section of a conventional extension ladder is often employed wherein the ladder is supported in an inclined position on the roof. The mere act of positioning the ladder on the roof may damage the roof in the process. Securing or anchoring the ladder to the roof also presents a problem.
It is also necessary in certain situations to have a tether anchor attached to a roof to provide a worker with a means of fall protection. In the past, operative access to roof areas during inspection and maintenance procedures on sloping roofs has been a major source of danger leading to falls from roofs and buildings. The traditional means of providing a tether anchor was to nail or screw a tether device into a roof. This method has a destructive component to it whether the roof receiving the tether device is in finished or unfinished condition. Obviously, a finished roof is subject to greater damage because the protective membrane (i.e. shingles, tile, etc.) will be breached and have to undergo repairs.
Prior art has attempted to address both the ladder anchor and tether anchor problems on different occasions. To overcome the ladder anchor problem, it has been proposed to provide ladders with hooks for engaging the ridge of the roof; such an arrangement is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 599,963; 2,755,981 and 3,606,226.
While these hook assemblies have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, they have been subject to certain disadvantages, such as being integrally connected to the ladder, thereby rendering the ladder cumbersome when using the ladder on other jobs not requiring the hook assembly; also, many of the hooks are not adjustable for properly engaging ridges of roofs of different pitches. These devices also tend to damage the roofs and thereby render such use prohibitive. None of these patents offers the features or advantages of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,717 discloses an apparatus that is mounted on a roof to provide anchoring points for a roofer. A plurality of brackets are provided on the roof and are interconnected by rigid connecting rods. A flexible strap element is connected to the rigid rods in order to anchor a worker. The major shortcoming with this system is that it requires substantial rigging which would not be easily installed. Additionally, the extensive network of brackets and connecting rods obstruct the worker's movements and access to certain portions of the roof and can damage the roof.
A simple tether device which is adapted to be fastened to a peaked roof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,713. A strip of metal is bent to provide a connector having a central portion and two extending leg portions. The extending leg portions are provided with openings through which a nail can be driven to attach the connector to the peak of the roof. A safety line is dipped to an aperture in the central portion of the connector. In order to allow the worker sufficient mobility on the roof, the safety line must be relatively lengthy, thereby increasing the distance a roofer would fall before he is caught, particularly when he is working near the connector. Also, since the safety line is at the roof level, it provides somewhat of a hazard in that a worker could easily trip over it. Further, it is an added obstruction to movement and subject to entanglement with roofing materials or tools on the roof surface.
No known prior art combines a ladder anchor and tether anchor in the same device that can be attached to a roof with causing damage to the roof. The closest known art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,114 issued to the present inventor/applicant.